Breast surgery is a type of procedure where the breasts are altered in some way, such as removal, reduction, augmentation, alteration, resizing, and so on.

There are a multitude of reasons why an individual may receive breast surgery, including medical, reconstructive, or cosmetic reasons—all of which are procedures that will involve some form of physical therapy during recovery. But first, let’s talk about each type of breast surgery:

Medical Surgeries

Medical breast surgeries typically refer to either the removal of cancerous tumors in a case where cancer is already present, or the removal of breast tissue to reduce the risk of future cancer development. These surgeries include the following:

Lumpectomy: Removal of tumors or tissue while maintaining the majority of the breasts.

Mastectomy: Partial or total removal of the breasts to remove cancerous tumors or tissue.

Prophylactic mastectomy: Preventative removal of the breasts for those with very high risk of cancer to offset the risk of cancer development.

Benign tissue removal: Removal of noncancerous lumps or abnormal tissue that may pose a risk of cancer development or cause discomfort to the individual.

Reconstructive Surgeries

Congenital Defects: Some individuals may have developmental abnormalities that can create health problems or cause low body image. Reconstructive surgeries can help improve body image, reduce painful or harmful effects, and improve quality of life.

Post-Mastectomy Reconstruction: Restoration or reshaping of the breasts after a partial or double mastectomy, which can include transfer of other bodily tissues or the use of implants.

Post-Trauma Reconstruction: This construction surgery is designed to reshape or restore the breasts in the case of damage or deformity caused by injury or accident.

Cosmetic Surgeries

Lastly, we have cosmetic surgeries. Cosmetic breast surgeries are designed to alter or reshape the breasts in a way that is desired by the individual, usually for appearance or body image purposes.

This can include changing size, reshaping, lifting, or improving symmetry. The use of implants or tissue transfer may be utilized depending on the desired outcome. In some cases, this type of surgery can help solve physical discomfort associated with breast size, such as skin irritation or bodily pains.

Start Healing with Hive

While it may seem obvious that physical therapy will be necessary after your surgery, you should consider it beforehand, too. Engaging in physical therapy before your breast surgery can provide many benefits.

Physical Preparation

Engaging in physical therapy before any surgery is a great way to increase your chances of a smoother and quicker recovery. In the case of breast surgery recovery, strengthening the upper body such as the back, shoulders, and arms can help make recovery much easier.

Shoulder problems are a common occurrence after breast surgeries, and improving shoulder health ahead of your surgery can be a great way to combat this side effect.

Additionally, improving the body’s overall health before a big procedure can improve its ability to heal afterwards and help lessen the severity of postoperative symptoms.

Mental Preparation

Not only will your physical therapist help you prepare for a better physical recovery, but they can also help you mentally prepare for the process.

As many physical therapists are experienced with breast surgery recovery, they can help you set expectations for the recovery period and answer any questions you may have about the healing process.

They can provide helpful advice or suggestions to make your recovery period easier too, such as preparing you for movements that may prove difficult immediately after surgery or how to prepare your home for your recovery period.

The healing period after breast surgery varies depending on the type of surgery performed. Additionally, each person’s case will vary, as their needs during the surgery and their body’s reaction to the procedure will differ.

After breast surgery, many individuals will experience discomfort, pain, swelling, limited range of motion of the upper body (such as raising the arms), and other symptoms.

In some types of surgery, patients may be at a higher risk of Lymphedema. To offset these postoperative symptoms, working alongside a physical therapist to help encourage more effective healing is very important.

Physical therapy after breast surgery allows for better management of pain and swelling, works to restore range of motion and function, and helps manage the formation of scar tissue.

Let’s take a closer look at how physical therapy can assist the healing period and make it much more manageable:

• Pain management:

Individuals may experience pain in a variety of ways after breast surgery—such as nerve pain, muscle pain, scar pain, bruising, or swelling. Physical therapists are skilled in providing suitable pain-relieving treatments that are safe for each phase of your recovery. Some possible treatments may include therapeutic modalities, dry needling, cupping, tissue scraping, and more.

• Range of motion:

After breast surgery, a patient may find it difficult or painful to lift their arms. This pain and limited mobility is usually due to tightness in the chest and the areas near the arms. Particularly with mastectomies, patients may also experience loss of mobility in the shoulders and upper body overall.

A physical therapist will be able to work on these areas, help reduce pain, and improve range of motion so that the patient can return to normal movements and flexibility.

This typically requires treatments such as massage or other manual therapies to help manipulate soft tissue, which will help restore flexibility and mobility of the breast and chest area.

Additionally, neuromuscular reeducation and biofeedback will be utilized to regain function and proprioception of the altered upper body. Exercises or stretches will be encouraged to help improve the strength and flexibility of these areas.

• Lymphatic drainage:

Manual techniques can assist with lymph drainage, helping to move the lymph fluid and minimize swelling during your healing period. As mentioned earlier, Lymphedema is a concern after certain breast surgeries, and ensuring proper drainage is incredibly important.

• Scar tissue management:

Physical therapy is an essential aspect of scar management. Not only can physical therapists help you manage the appearance of your scars, but they also can help prevent adhesions from forming—which is when scar tissue sticks to the underlying tissue (where they are not meant to be attached) during the healing process.

Adhesions can cause pain and affect your mobility, so scar health should not be overlooked.

• Restoring sensation:

It is common for patients to experience a loss of sensation after breast surgery, particularly with the nipples. While nerve sensory depends highly on the procedure itself, physical therapy can provide support during the healing period to dissipate your temporary loss of sensation.

This can be done by reducing swelling, managing scar formation, and encouraging better blood circulation or nerve function through techniques such as manual therapy.

• Posture improvement:

Especially with major changes that remove or add significant weight in the chest area, a physical therapist can help their patient adjust to their new weight distribution and protect a healthy posture.

• Whole-body care:

In some cases with breast surgery, other areas of the body may be affected due to tissue transfer (such as with a tummy tuck). If necessary, your physical therapist can help improve the recovery of those parts of the body, too.

• Exercise prescription:

Exercises and stretching after surgery are incredibly important to increase blood circulation, improve strength, and promote better healing for your body. Your physical therapist will be able to teach you individualized exercises to perform at home that can help address your unique needs after surgery.

• Relaxation exercises:

Understandably, surgery can be an uncertain and nerve-racking experience. Physical therapists are very knowledgeable in relaxation techniques and can teach you ways to relieve stress before or after surgery.

As you can see, there are a lot of different aspects of breast surgery recovery that a physical therapist can provide treatment and guidance on.

The physical therapists at Hive Therapy and Wellness are experienced and knowledgeable about all things musculoskeletal and will be able to help you prepare for and recover from your own surgery. Some treatments our physical therapists often use for patients who need or who have had breast surgery include:

• Dry Needling
• Cupping
• Manual Therapy 
• Spinal Manipulation 
• Electrical Muscle Stimulation
• Tissue Scraping 
• Exercise Prescription
• Behavioral Modifications
• Therapeutic Modalities
• Neuromuscular Re-education
• Biofeedback (part of neuromuscular)
• Therapeutic Activity